Properties of Starter Cultures Based on Non-Traditional Flours

Introduction. Bread and bakery products contain nutritional components that make an integral part of human diet. Starter cultures are a promising way to prepare bakery products. The research objective was to study the effect of non-traditional flours and their wheat mixes on the activity, sensory, and physicochemical properties of starter cultures. Study objects and methods. The research featured Lesaffre starter cultures (Saf-Levain LV1 and Saf-Levain LV4) with lentil flour and green buckwheat flour. It involved organoleptic, titrimetric, and photocolorimetric methods, as well as the “ball surfacing” method, to determine the fermentation activity of starter cultures and to assess the changes in their volume. The acid content of the flour was determined by titrating the aqueous solution of the sample. The amount of reducing sugars was determined by the photocolorimetric method based on the interaction of carbonyl groups of sugars in an alkaline medium with copper glycerate; the optical density of the resulting solution was performed using a photoelectrocolorimeter. The change in the volume of the starter cultures was determined by a non-standard method of using measuring cups in the process of thermostating. The research also included a sensory evaluation of the semi-finished products. Results and discussion. Green buckwheat flour had a positive effect on the activity of starter cultures based on Saf-Levain LV4 and LV1. The sensory properties of starter cultures with non-traditional flours differed from the control samples in aroma, taste, appearance, and inflation rate. The acidity of the samples varied depending on the flour, its quantity, and the starting culture. The greatest accumulation of acids occurred in the sample with 50% of green buckwheat flour and the samples with 25 and 50% of lentil flour. The most intense reduction in the amount of reducing sugars was observed in the samples with 25 and 50% of green buckwheat flour (from 1.9 to 3.9 times, depending on the sample). In the samples with lentil flour, it was 75 and 100% (from 2.7 to 7.5 times, depending on the sample). The difference in the samples with LV1 was greater than in the samples with LV4, which can be explained by the differences in their microbial composition. The inflation rate was higher in the test samples than in the control. Conclusion. The resulting starter cultures can be recommended for baking industry and further research. Starter cultures based on non-traditional flours will eventually reduce the fermentation time and produce bakery products with high consumer properties. The non-traditional flours can expand the range of bakery products and increase their nutritional value.